Pratt & Whitney's PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ engine has been awarded Gold in the transportation- aviation category of the 2015 Edison Awards. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

"Our dedication to innovation and identifying ways to continuously improve is in our blood at Pratt & Whitney," said Greg Gernhardt, president, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. "For the past 90 years, we have not let status quo satisfy us. The Geared Turbofan engine is just one example of our drive to create new solutions that benefit our customers, the environment and the broader public. We are thrilled to be recognized as a top transportation innovation of the year."

The Edison Awards, inspired by Thomas Edison's persistence and inventiveness, recognize innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy.

"It's exciting to see companies like Pratt & Whitney continuing Thomas Edison's legacy of challenging conventional thinking," said Frank Bonafilia, Edison Awards' executive director. "Edison Awards recognize the game-changing products and services, like the Geared Turbofan engine, and the teams that brought them to consumers."

The PurePower engine family has completed more than 17,000 hours and 32,000 cycles of full engine testing, including 4,000 hours of flight time and the PW1100G-JM engine is expected to enter into service on the Airbus A320neo aircraft later this year. Five aircraft platforms using the GTF engine have been launched including the Mitsubishi MRJ, Airbus A320neo, Bombardier CSeries, Embraer E-Jets E2, and Irkut MC-21.

Award winners were announced on April 23, 2015 at the Edison Awards Annual Gala, held in the historic Ballroom of The Capitale in New York City.

Edison Award nominees are judged by more than 3,000 senior business executives and academics from across the nation whose votes acknowledge the Finalists' success in meeting the award's stringent criteria of quality. The Edison Awards is a program conducted by Edison Universe, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to fostering future innovators. For more information about the Edison Awards, Edison Universe and a list of past winners, visit www.edisonawards.com.